Jefferson County committee drafts official data center moratorium
Jefferson County's Planning and Zoning Committee has drafted an 18-month moratorium on data center development, which includes a specific definition for data centers. The committee voted unanimously to advance the resolution to the County Board, citing public concerns about environmental impact, utility infrastructure, and noise.
The Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Committee has prepared an official draft of an 18-month moratorium on data center development, which was discussed during a July 27 meeting. Matt Zangl, Jefferson County Director of Planning and Development, provided an overview of the resolution, detailing its timeframe and the proposed definition of a "data center." The draft resolution, which cannot implement an outright ban but must include a time frame, allows for potential extensions if more time is needed to finalize the ordinance.
The resolution cites numerous public concerns regarding data centers, including potential health and safety issues, depletion and pollution of freshwater, strain on utility infrastructure, increased energy demand, fire hazards, burden on emergency response, impact on property values, noise pollution, and aesthetics. Timothy Freitag, City of Jefferson Administrator, addressed the distinction between hyperscale data centers, which are the primary cause of public concern, and smaller, more innocuous data centers that provide essential services. He expressed skepticism about the viability of hyperscale data centers within or near the city and advocated for regulatory discretion.
The Planning and Zoning Committee unanimously approved moving the data center moratorium resolution forward to the Jefferson County Board for further consideration.